Washing machine



March 5, 1940. KELLERMANN 2,192,315 I WASHING MACHINE Filed July 21, 1 937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENT OR. F22 /X AZZZEFMfl/V/V ATTORNEY.

March 5, 1940. KE ERM NN 2,192,315

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 21, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .l I/ll'l'l/l f all l'lllllffllll IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

F. KELLERMANN WASHING MACHINE Filed July 21, 1937 March 5, 1940.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

FZ/X A zzz :WMw/vw, BY \jwfm 7% ATTORNEY.

March 5, 1940.

Filed July 21, 1937 F. KE'LLERMANN 2,192,315

WASHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

March 5, 1940. KELLERMANN 2,192,315

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 21,. 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to home washing machines of the oscillating agitator type, and more in particular it relates to improvements in adaptations of agitating mechanism to existing installations of stationary wash tubs provided with water supply and drain connections such as constitute a fixed part of the house plumbing.

Considering the background and embodiment of my invention from a more general angle, my improvements may be contrasted'with the conventional household washing machine which is a unit movable on casters and in general comprising a leg supported tub or vessel through and from the bottom of which rises the oscillatin agitator shaft driven from motor actuated gearing underneath the tub. A non-stationary unit requires bothersome connections, such as a loose cable connection for the motor, hose connections for water supply and drainage, and it requires an additional pump to elevate the draining liquid to the level of an available sink to gain discharge by way of the house plumbing, and this again necessitates moving the machine about and near to a sink.

Adaptations of the general type herein contemplated of agitating mechanism to existing washtubs with their existing hot and cold water supply and drain connections, will at once eliminate potential dripping, leakage, spilling, and other inconveniences attendant to the manipulation, operation, function and upkeep of the aforementioned connections required in the movable standard unit. Such adaptation to an existing fixture also avoids potential danger or injury to the operators toes every time that the relatively heavy movable unit is to be rolled into the place where the above-mentioned connections must be made or the machine be used. Still another thing to be avoided by converting a standard movable washing machine into a fixture is the phenomena that vibrations, undesirable of themselves, are liable to cause a movable machine especially when filled with water and wash, to shift bodily from its place of operation as a result of its own vibratory impulses, this phenomena being aggravated by any slight slope found to exist in the floors. When unattended, the unit thus filled and loaded may gather momentum sufficient to result in harmful collision or injury to children or the like.

According to another broad. and important aspect of an adaptation as contemplated by me, there results a saving of space wherever a suitable fixed washtub installation is available in connection with the house plumbing.

According to a narrower aspect, y Special adaptation may be further contrasted with certain attachments known in the art to provide removable agitating mechanism to extend from above into an existing tub. In other words, in 5 distinction therefrom my improvements relate to the underslung type of mechanism with agitator shaft rising from below and in the general manner accepted in the standard unit, thus to leave the top portion of the tub unencumbered, or else to leave it free and available for the attachment thereto of standard adjuncts, such as the wringer and ironer or others considered necessary or desirable for use in additional laundering steps and in conjunction with the operation of a home washing machine.

Consequently, it will be found that my improvements have to do not only with a novel mode of adapting a suitable type of agitating mechanism to an existing tub, but that they also embrace novel features and details of construction of the mechanism per se, and they include branch drive mechanism for accessory devices to be used in steps of the laundering process subsequent to the wet-wash.

Consequently, my objects are to convert an available wash tub fixture into a practical washing machine, and to devise an adaptation of agitating and driving mechanism to existing tub fixtures, which is practical; readily adjustable to the respective tub, and convenient to install, and which is mechanically substantial and eificient, and which is inexpensive in first cost in comparison with the first cost of a movable unit, and substantially free from the nuisance of vibrations.

In view of these objects my mode of adaptation calls for the breaking or drilling or providing of a hole through the tub bottom (and aside from a separate drain connection in the bottom), and through which hole I introduce the risin arbor that supports the agitator proper. In other words on the one hand I condition the tub with regard to the mechanism, and on the other hand I modify, redesign or adapt a mechanism to the conditions of the tub. Thus, I propose the design of a mechanism which can be readily adapted and adjusted to and mounted and fixed in operating condition in the hole provided or conditioned or made available in the tub fixture.

As a consequence of this my basic concept and mode of adaptation, I designan agitator mechanism which renders simple, convenient and adjustable its structural union with diflerent tubs, and I prefer a mounting whereby undesirable vibratory efiects are reduced, and I simplify the mechanism and increase its mechanical effectiveness and compactness.

According to one structural design feature the agitator arbor and gear case constitute an assembled unit to be readily applied by way of the specially provided hole from underneath the tub.

and with it means or mountings are provided,

, sign of a drive unit.

Still another feature has to do with adjustable branch driving means for the operation of accessories or auxiliary devices from the agitator or master drive, this to enable such devices to derive their motion irrespective of certain varying conditions of the tub fixture to be converted.

In one specific and practical embodiment of my adaptation I provide a self-contained motor gear unit from which rises also unitary therewith the agitator arbor having the agitator shaft mounted therein for oscillation. This unitary structure as such is positioned by way of the hole prepared for it in the bottom of the tub. The unit is secured in place with the aid of adjustment means to take care of varying bottom thicknesses of different tubs. Novel design of the agitator shaft and its mountings permits the elimination of the conventional clutch, since a slide gear is used for the coupling and uncoupling thereof. An auxiliary gear'casing protrudes from the bottom of the master gear casing to furnish an opportunity for adjustable drive connections through shafting, rigid or flexible, to lead into driving engagement with auxiliary devices of which a wringer or a spinner and an ironing machine are well known examples. A jack device may brace the drive unit against the base or floor as a support or expedient.

More particularly with respect to the so-called spinner which is a centrifugally operating dewaterer for the wet wash, my present adaptation is applicable also to a double compartment tub fixture having the agita tor placed in the one com partment and the spinner in the other, and with a branch drive leading underneath the tub from the agitator drive to actuate the spinner. That is to say, the popularly known accessory devices for performing secondary laundry steps may be simultaneously provided in my adaptation to a stationary tub fixture. By providing separate mountings and driving means, such as for a wringer and an ironer there is avoided the necessity and inconvenience of mounting and dismounting the one device for the other, as 'is 7 otherwise required in the movable type of washing machine which is generally less substantial and otherwise unsuited to carry more than one such device and drive therefor.

The invention possesses other objects and featuresof advantage, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth in the following description. In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. In the accompanying drawings there has been illustrated the best embodiment of the invention known to me, but such embodiment is to be regarded as typical only of many possible embodiments, and the invention is not to be limited thereto.

More in particular, it should be understood that while some of the features pertain specifically to adaptations to wash tub fixtures, others will apply more broadly to home washing machines in general.

The novel features considered characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a tub fixture with a tool for the tentative drilling of a hole;

Fig. 2 indicates a phase of applying the agitator mechanism from below the tub;

Fig. 3 indicates the step of securing the agitator mechanism in place;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing the agitator mechanism and agitator proper operatively,

mounted;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the entire agitator mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail of housing portion from Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view upon the agitator drive mechanism taken along the line 1-1 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a double compartment tub washing machine, with accessory launderin devices.

Fig. 10 is a front view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 9.

Figs. 1 to 3 diagrammatically illustrate steps in the conversion of an existing wash tub fixture into a washing machine. Fig. 1 shows a tub III with water supply faucet II and drain connec tion l2, and a rotary drilling or grinding tool l3 to indicate the tentative breaking of a hole or opening through the tub bottom. In Fig. 2 an opening I has been drilled or broken or provided and it is fashioned for the insertion therethrough of whatmay be called the agitator arbor l5 over which is to be mounted the agitator member ipamper for oscillation in the process of wet wash-' In Fig. 3 a self-contained agitator unit l6 is bladed agitator member 22 to oscillate in the tub. Another nut 23 with suitable washers and gaskets at 24 are provided upon the arbor 2| in a manner and for reasons hereinafter explained.

Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8, illustrating the detailed construction and functioning of the agitator drive mechanism should be consideredtogether. In Fig. 5

an agitator drive gear mechanism is enclosed in operatively connect the motor 48 with the worm a housing 25, which comprises a lower or bottom shell 26 and an upper or cover shell 21, having corresponding flanges 23 and 29 respectively to be bolted together. In it the drive gear mechanism is shown to include a worm drive, that is to say, a worm gear 36, and a worm 3|, the worm gear operating upon a pivot 32 mounted in the housing. A gear sector 33 is similarly mounted, although for oscillating movement about its pivot 34 and it is driven by a connecting rod 35 eccentrically pivoted to the worm gear 30. The gear sector 33 meshes with a pinion 36 which is splined or slidably mounted upon an agitator shaft 31 in a manner to impart oscillating movement thereto when the gear sector 33 is actuated.

Consequently the pinion 36 is slidable upon a square portion 38 of the agitator shaft for obvious reasons of torque transmission. A yoke 39 embraces the pinion and is operable through suitable hand operated means for sliding the pinion up and down, that is to say, out of and into engagement with the gear sector 33 for coupling and uncoupling of the agitator shaft 31 with respect to the drive mechanism. The agitator shaft 31 extends into and is guided in a tubular member 46, herein also called the arbor that rises into the tub from below. The tubular member 40 has a relatively long externally threaded portion 4| adapted to be screwed to a desired depth into a hub portion 42 of the cover shell 21 of the housing. Besides thus making the parts 21 and 40 a unit of assembly, the long threaded portion 4| serves additional purposes which will hereinafter appear. A nut 43 sets against the top of the housing and has associated therewith a suit able number of suitable washers and gaskets or the like. The nut 43 secures the screw connection between the tubular member 40 in the hub portion 42 and together with an adjustable number of washers, etc., it fills a clearance between the top of the housing and the bottom wall 44 of the tub. The provision of reserve length in the threaded portion 4| thus provides adjustability in the mounting of the drive gear unit in relation to diiferent thicknesses of the bottom walls of different tubs. The threaded portion 4| is shown to extend through a specially fashioned opening 45 in the tub bottom sufficiently far into the interior of the tub to accommodate thereon a counternut member 46 with suitable washer and gasket means 41, to be tightened against the inner bottom face of the tub so as to secure the agitator mechanism in operating position relative to the tub. Thanks to this mounting or adaptation of the mechanism to the hole in the tub, there is obviated the possibility of water leakage from the tub contents through the bottom into the interior of the gear housing, this construction being indistinction from those using a divided arbor construction where the split occurs at a place exposed to the water in the tub and with a risk of water reaching the interior of the gear case.

While the drive gear housing and the agitator arbor or tubular member 46 are thus shown to be structurally combined in a manner to permit their manipulation as a unit of assembly, this unitary character of the driving machinery is further accentuated by the incorporation in it of electromotivating means or a driving motor 43 mounted and secured in the bracket or shell portions 49 and 50 herein shown as an example of unitary mounting, and fashioned in the way of extensions of the lower and upper shell portions 26 and 21 of the gear housing. A flexible coupling may 3|, and sufficient flange area 52 (see Fig. '7) be provided between the motor and the drive gear mechanism to prevent communication. Glancing at Fig. 7, it will be seen that the entire agitator drive mechanism, including the motor, is compactly arranged in itself as well as that it is closely compacted around the axis of the agitator shaft so as to offer relatively short overhanging leverages with respect to that point of support which is constituted by the axis of the agitator shaft. 4

There has so far been described that part of the mechanism and its adaptation that relate to the agitator proper. However, in further consequence of this adaptation there are required branch driving means to actuate accessory laundering devices for use in laundering steps subsequent to the wet wash. Of these the one most immediately needed is a wringer for the preliminary dewatering of the wash or, as a substitute for the wringer, it may be theso-called' spinner, which is a device based on the principle of semi-centrifugal operation. Next there may be provided an ironer with operative driving connection from the agitator drive and to be permanently installed in conjunction with the tub; such adaptation of an ironer offering the advantage that it avoids the practice of either making it adaptable or exchangeable by way of substitution for the wringer, or of providing entirely separate, complete, expensive and additional space occupying ironing machinery. Where according to previous practice the substitution of the ironer for the wringer and vice versa were required, such practice has caused considerable inconvenience and effort for the operator to lift the respective heavy equipment on and of! the machine.

Consequently, provision is made to have secondary or branch drive means extend from the agitator or master drive. Branch drive connections are shown to be designed substantially unitary and compactly with the agitator drive unit,

in that the worm gear 30 has disposed underneath it and coaxially rotatable therewith a pinion 53 meshing with a larger ratio-reducing gear 54 whose axis of rotation is disposed approximately between those of the worm gear 30 and the gear sector 33, thus placing the gear 30 compactly into the main drive, causing the gear 54 to be partly overlain by the adjacent gear sector 33 and worm gear 36.

Branch drive connections for this purpose should be adjustable or adaptable directionally or lengthwise to suit varying conditions, and they may be in the way of suitable universal joint connections, or more specifically as shown in Figs. 5 and 8.

The gear 54 is fixed to a vertical shaft 55 extending through the bottom of the gear housing, to have cooperatively associated therewith one or more pairs or sets of bevel gear such as shown at 56 and 51, although other suitable movement transmitting mechanism might be used in their stead. The set 56 of bevel gears may be the one to drive a wringer and is shown to include the bevel gear 58 fixed on the shaft 55, and the companion bevel gear 53 mounted in a bearing member 6|! carried and swingable about the shaft 55.

Thus there is driven a horizontally extending shaft or element 6| which, through suitable transmission means, may drive the wringer. Correspondingly the set 51 of bevel gears which may be the one to drive an ironer, comprises bevel 'gear 62 fixed on the vertical shaft 55, and the companion bevel gear 53 mounted in a bearing member swingablel about the vertical shaft 55.

-Thus there is driven another horizontally extend- Surrounding that part of the branch drive 'mechanism which includes the bevel gears (see Fig. 5), there is shown a shell or tubular housing 65. extending from and fixed to the bottom of the housing 25 by way of a threaded annular protrusion 56 extending therefrom. A detail of the tubular housing 65 is shown in Fig. 6, to exhibit horizontally slotted openings 6'! and 68 through which the branchdriving shafts or elements may extend. It will be clear from the description of the bevel gear mechanism that the branch drive shafts BI and 64 can be adjusted angularly over a suitable range to meet special conditions of adaptation, and the shafts may be of the telescoping type for lengthwise adjustment as indicated by the telescoping parts 6| and 61a and the splined connection Blb. In conjunction with each set of bevel gears 56 and 51 respectively there are shown to be provided lock nut members 69 and 10 having handles for manipulation so the respective sets of bevel gears and the drive elements extending therefrom may be held fixedly in their respective adjusted positions.

In Fig. 5 (there is furthermore embodied the idea of firmly supporting the entire unitary drive mechanism by bracing or jacking it against the floor. To this end advantage is taken of the tubular housing 65 to transmit supporting forces from the floor. That is to say, a footing or jack element H may be screwed into and out of the tubular housing 65 in rendering it effective. to support the mechanism upon the floor. There is also shown a bearing 12 as mounted in the footing or jack element H for the purpose of guiding or stabilizing the lower end portion of the vertical shaft 55, and accordingly the bearing is slidable axially upon that portion of the shaft within the limits required by the potential axial movement of the jack element 1|.

In Figs..9 and 10 there is shown an important adaptation to a double compartment wash tub of agitator mechanism combined with accessory devices. A front view in Fig. 10 shows the tub to have compartments l3 and I4. Associated with compartment 13 is the agitator mechanism diagrammatically indicated by its housing 15 and an operating handle 15a for coupling and uncoupling the agitator shaft in the manner previously described. Upon the left side wall of the tub is mounted a wringer 16 of substantially known construction, except that as a matter of adaptation it is shown to have hook or bracket means 11 reaching over and around the top edge portion of the tub. A vertical drive shaft 18 extends down from the wringer and is guided at a lower point as by means of bearing I9 relative to the tub.

Instead of the wringer 16 there may be used the centrifugally operatingspinner type of device for de-watering the wet wash, and the second compartment I4 of a double compartment'tub fixture lends itself nicely for this purpose of adaptation, and where the wringer type of device is objected to or objectionable due to the risk of hands getting caught in it or otherwise. 'Such a spinner device 80 is therefore indicated in dot and dash lines in the second compartment H and it may be driven through branch driving means in a manner which needs no detailed description.

There is furthermore shown an attachable ironing device or ironer 8| shown to be associated with the right hand side wall of the tub substantially in the same manner as the wringer 16 previously described.

Turning to Fig. 9 it will be noted that the wringer as well as the ironer are swingably adjustable in a substantially known manner about the axes 82 and 83 respectively. In this figure there is also shown more clearly how the respective horizontal drive shafts for the respective accessory laundering devices radiate in various directions of adjustment from the agitator or master drive visible in dot and dash below compartment 130i the double tub. At 84 and 85 are indicated drain connections for the respective tub compartments and they may be in the way of any suitable externally manipulated drains to avoid reaching into the tub where the agitator or the spinner may operate.

The actual procedure of application of the mechanism so far described to a respective wash tub fixture is believed to be self-explanatory from the detailed description as rendered, and so is operation of the mechanism when installed. However, it should be understood that the tub fixtures instead of being conditioned or converted as by way of drilling a hole in the bottom .aside from the drain connection therein, might also be pre-fabricated with a suitable bottom Opening available although temporarily closed or with other out-of-function expedients for the tentative adaptation and application thereto of washing machine mechanism of the character contemplated by this invention.

It will be understood that the cooperative association of the washing mechanism with the tub is established in effect solely through the medium of the tub body, namely by way of the opening in the tub bottom. Additional stabilization is rendered by way of the jack device H which in turn is effective between the mechanism and the floor.

In the operation of the mechanism as herein described the coupling and uncoupling of the agitator shaft 31 may be effected from the hand lever or operating handle 15a (see Figs. 3 and 10) to shift the slidable pinion 36 as previously described.

As a consequence of my adaptation of washing-machine mechanism to stationary tub fixture, there is attained the additional advantage that certain drainage trouble and congestion ordinarily experienced and complained of in the operation of a movable washing machine, are eliminated, in that advantage is taken in my adaptation, of the existing drain and trap provided with the fixture. That is to say, in the movable machine,whenever a washing operation isfinished it is necessary to lift up the agitator in order to remove the lint, cotton thread or other refuse that collects in the sediment trap or under the agitator, unless a special drain trap is provided a second opening in the tub bottom; power driven washing mechanism comprising an oscillation producing drive unit having a casing in which drive means operate and which is disposed underneath the bottom of the tub, electro-motivating means unitary with said drive unit, a tubular portion extending from said casing through said second opening into the interior of the tub and adapted to be surrounded by the water although rising above said water level, vertical oscillatory shai'ting driven by said gearing and extending through and guided by said tubular portion; disconnectible securing means provided to be effective, by way of said second mentioned opening in the tub bottom between the tub bottom and the gear-motor unit and designed thus to establish said gear motor unit in cooperative association with respect to the tub in eflfect solely through the medium of the. tub bottom; and an agitator member attachable to the top portion of said shafting to oscillate therewith, said agitator member being adapted to extend downwardly into the body of water surrounding said tubular portion.

2. Mechanism according to claim 1, in which said securing means comprise an internally threaded annular member surrounding and engaging said tubular portion and designed to hold said gear motor unit by way or engaging the inner bottom face of the tub.

3. Mechanism according to claim 1 in which a threaded connection is provided between said tubular portion and the gear casing proper, and in which said securing means comprise an annular portion concentric with and connected with said tubular portion and adapted to engage the inner face of the tub bottom.

4. Mechanism according to claim 1, in which a threaded connection is provided between the tubular portion and the gear casing proper, and in which said securing means comprise an internally threaded flange member adapted to engage the inner tace of the tub bottom and said tubular portion.

5. Mechanism according to claim 1, in which the electromotivated drive unit in effect engages the tub bottom, with the addition of adjustable bracing means acting directly between the electro-motivated unit and the floor, and arranged to sustain said unit bodily and directly against the bottom of the tub.

6. In a washing machine having a set tub spaced from the floor and adapted to be filled with water, said tub having an opening in the tub bottom for connection of the tub with drain plumbing and having a second opening in the tub bottom, power driven washing mechanism comprising an oscillation producing drive umt having a casing in which driving elements operate and which is disposed underneath the bottom of the tub, electro-motivating means unitary with said drive unit, an oscillatory member driven by said driving elements and disposed to be effective by way of said second opening, disconnectible securing means provided to be effective by way of said second-mentioned opening in the tub bottom between the tub bottom and the drive unit and designed thus to establish said unit in cooperative association with respect to the tub in efiect solely through the medium of the tub body, means effective-between said oscillatory member and the casing of said drive unit, and adapted to prevent escape of water, and an agitator member operatively connected with said oscillatory member.

7. Mechanism according to claim 6, in which the electro motivated drive unit in effect engages the tub bottom, with the addition of adjustable bracing means acting directly between the electro-motivated unit and the floor, and arranged to sustain said unit bodily and directly against the bottom of the tub.

8. In a washing machine having a set tub spaced from the floor and adapted to be filled with water, said tub having an opening in the tub bottom for connection of the tub with drain plumbing and having a second opening in the tub bottom, power-driven washing mechanism comprising an oscillation producing drive unit having a casing in which driving elements operate and which is disposed underneath the bottom of the tub, electro-mctivating means unitary-with said drive unit, an oscillatory member driven by said driving elements and disposed to be efiective by way of said second opening, disconnectible securing means provided to be effective by way of said second mentioned opening in the tub FELIX KEILERMANN. 

